FORT WAYNE, Ind., Oct. 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vera Bradley, Inc. (Nasdaq: VRA), the iconic American bag and luggage lifestyle brand, today announced a special partnership celebrating two American icons: the Radio City Rockettes, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, and Vera Bradley’s Original 100 Handbag. Launching as part of Vera Bradley’s 2025 winter collection, the Original 100 Handbag is named after its original style number and inspired by the quilted duffels co-founder Barbara ...

My journey from breaks to breakthroughs. What if I told you that the very person who doubted you the most could become the reason why you succeed. For me, that person was my father.As a child, I was captivated by athletics. The rush of running, the joy of competition, the feeling of the wind against my face. It was my dream.But my early journey was not a sprint towards glory. It was a constant uphill run, carrying the weight of skepticism and comparison. You see, my younger sister was a star athlete, fast, ...

Core Message - Comedy is presented as a tool for reclaiming power over pain and tragedy, transforming negative experiences into sources of humor and empowerment [6][7] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and authenticity in comedy, suggesting that embracing one's flaws and insecurities makes one more relatable [13] - Comedy is portrayed as a means of healing and self-discovery, enabling individuals to confront their challenges and express themselves [11][12] Personal Journey & Transformation - The speaker shares their personal experiences with mental health challenges, including being prescribed medication at a young age and spending time in a youth psych ward [2][3] - The speaker details how comedy helped them cope with a difficult childhood, including the loss of their father and struggles with self-esteem [6][9] - The speaker highlights the transformative power of a theater class in 8th grade, where they learned to use comedy as an outlet for their pain [10] Cool Beans Comedy & its Impact - Cool Beans Comedy is introduced as a comedic school and brand founded in 2009 with the mission of spreading joy and laughter through stand-up comedy [12] - Cool Beans Comedy's work with diverse individuals, including a comedian with Down syndrome and a neurodiverse child, is showcased as evidence of comedy's healing potential [17][18] - Cool Beans Comedy teaches stand-up comedy classes at the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, California, helping individuals overcome their fear of public speaking [15] Call to Action - The audience is challenged to embrace their own pain, quirks, and chaos, and to use humor to share their stories with the world [22] - The speaker encourages the audience to stop taking themselves too seriously and to find humor in life's struggles [20] - The speaker advocates for the use of comedy as a tool for self-confidence, empowerment, and connection with others [16][23]

of my journey across cultures and the importance of speaking up and challenging the stereotypes and also building awareness because when we break misconceptions we not only enlighten our mind but we build bridges along that we also grow as a better global citizens. Before I go any further, allow me to introduce the voice behind this journey. My name is Sharda Magenti and I have had the privilege of calling Nigeria my home for more than four decades and 38 years are spent in the heart of Kano.And for me it b ...

Overcoming Limits & Achieving Goals - The speaker's father established an organization overcoming discrimination against international students in the 1970s, which later became one of the largest multidisciplinary universities in India [1] - The speaker overcame initial aversion to medical school by confronting fears in the dissection hall, eventually becoming a gynecologist [1] - Establishing a university required acquiring land amidst bureaucratic hurdles, which was achieved by persistent efforts and direct intervention with the Chief Minister before election deadlines [1] - Creating a heritage site with the Dr Ambedkar Museum involved transforming barren land acquired despite public criticism, turning it into a nationally and internationally recognized monument [1] Expansion & International Ventures - Establishing a campus in Hyderabad faced legal, political, and regulatory hurdles, requiring Supreme Court intervention to gain permission to start classes [2] - Creating an international campus in Dubai required convincing the Minister of Finance to allow funding transfer, marking the first permission of its kind for an Indian university [2] Empowerment & Education - A young girl, married at 14 to a widower, was encouraged to study medicine and later established a medical college for girls after losing her child [2] - An idea to start something by the acronym of SAI (the institute of Artificial Intelligence) shaped into an institution in literally two months [2] - A young girl from a poor family secured a scholarship by learning English through YouTube and practicing in front of a broken mirror, later becoming a nurse and aspiring to educate other girls from her village [2][3][4][5]

[Applause] There is a sound most of us will never hear. It is the sound of a phone ringing over and over again because no one wants to answer it. It is the sound of nothing at all.Every year, one in three women in the United States will experience domestic violence at the hands of someone they love. Not in a dark room, not by a stranger or in an alley, but by someone who once told them they were safe. If there are 300 people in this room, that means 100 have experienced violence, but many don't want to spea ...

Personal Development & Resilience - The speaker emphasizes the importance of hard work and earning everything in life, a value instilled from a middle-class military family [1] - The speaker experienced a life-altering event in 2010 with the sudden loss of her father, leading to an "overnight crash course in adulting" and a significant shift in responsibilities [1] - Faced with the choice to give up or persevere, the speaker chose to stand up for her family, highlighting the importance of resilience in overcoming adversity [1] - The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a purpose in life, which drove her to pursue powerlifting and break stereotypes [1][2] - The speaker highlights the importance of choosing differently and adapting to new cultures and mindsets, using the analogy of switching from Android to iOS [1] Career & Professional Life - The speaker initially pursued finance but had to join a public limited company where her father worked, taking a front desk role to support her family [1] - Despite not being her initial career aspiration, the speaker aimed to be the best in her role, eventually becoming an executive assistant and learning leadership skills [1] - The speaker balanced a demanding full-time job in human resources with powerlifting, demonstrating the ability to manage multiple responsibilities and overcome challenges [2][3] Inspiration & Impact - The speaker's journey inspired others, with fathers wanting their daughters to be like her and individuals considering strength training [2] - The speaker's purpose is to touch the lives of people and inspire them to break stereotypes and pursue their passions, even in the face of pressure [2][3] - The speaker aims to be a voice for those who are hesitant to take a step forward, encouraging them to choose their purpose in life and become trailblazers [3]

Entrepreneurial Journey & Transformation - The speaker transformed from a corporate employee to an entrepreneur, building ecosystems and impacting thousands [1] - Over 12 years ago in Chennai, the speaker aimed to change perceptions of makeup artistry as a business, art, and movement of confidence [1] - Faced societal doubts and family concerns initially, but persevered through challenges like a crying first bride [1] - Overcame COVID-19 challenges by innovating and adapting safety measures, redefining beauty as safety and responsibility [2] - Made a pivotal decision to stay in her city and focus on her business, leading to significant opportunities [3] Business Growth & Impact - The speaker's brand, Palette Affair, started small but grew, facing challenges like COVID-19 [2] - Successfully executed a Guinness World Record project involving 101 underprivileged brides, showcasing beauty as belonging [3] - Awarded Bridal Makeup Artist of the Year, validating sacrifices and judgments [3] - Built an ecosystem fueling various related professions, emphasizing business over just beauty [3] Personal Empowerment & Inspiration - The speaker's journey highlights the power of confidence and reinvention, inspiring others to take charge of their lives [1] - A key moment was realizing the impact on students, empowering them to earn, lead, and decide their futures [3] - The speaker's son learning about women's leadership and inspiration is a proud moment, shaping future generations [3]

Leadership Redefinition - The traditional view of leadership, focused on authority, control, and spotlight, is limited; true leadership is about empowering others to become leaders [3] - Leadership is not about personal glory or accumulating followers, but about developing other leaders to create a lasting impact [4] - The industry emphasizes that creating more leaders leads to exponential impact, as opposed to a single leader trying to influence a large group [5] Legacy and Impact - Building a leadership legacy requires a long-term focus, patience, and humility, with the impact often realized over time [4] - The industry highlights that the real impact of leadership is not just in the number of followers, but in the success of the successors [24] - The long-term impact of a leader is more important than short-term gains when measuring their success [28] Leadership Style Shifts - The industry advocates for a shift from control to coaching, power to empowerment, and followers to future leaders [20] - Moving from control to coaching involves developing capabilities to enable individuals to lead independently [21] - Shifting from power to empowerment means providing individuals with the tools, trust, and space to lead [21] - Transforming followers into future leaders involves developing individuals to become leaders themselves, creating a distributed leadership model [21] Distributed Leadership - Distributed leadership creates resilient organizations and allows for greater positive impact compared to concentrated leadership [23] - Concentrated leadership limits opportunities for others to develop into leaders [22] - Distributed leadership fosters more leaders within organizations, leading to greater overall impact [23]

Core Message - The speech emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and purpose in professional life, particularly in the face of career setbacks [1][5][6] - It advocates for transforming personal pain into empowerment and extending that empowerment to others [10][11] - The speaker encourages the audience to define their work as a service to others, focusing on engaging, enlightening, and empowering those around them [13][14] Networking and Connection - The speech highlights the distinction between knowing people and having a genuine connection with them, emphasizing that referrals come from the latter [9] - It suggests that building strong connections is crucial for professional success and impact [8][9] Personal Growth and Resilience - The speech acknowledges the inevitability of disappointments and challenges in life and career [12][13] - It stresses the importance of pausing, reflecting, and identifying the next right move during difficult times [13] - The speaker shares a personal experience of job loss and uses it to illustrate the journey of self-discovery and finding one's voice [1][2][3][4][5][12]